With stints at the Ritz Carlton SF, Melisse, and French Laundry, chef Gary Menes’ culinary perspective is being served counter-side-10 seats to be exact- at the recently opened Le Comptoir. It’s been a long and anxious wait to get a seat at his counter, as the restaurant was formerly a roving pop-up for years in downtown Los Angeles, but as of late December it now has a permanent home inside the historic Hotel Normandie in the so on trend Koreatown. Le Comptoir- which means counter in French- is nestled in a small space that was once Dragon Lady Bar, and has been renovated for his foodie cult following- who will be thrilled that Menes has committed to a 10-year lease. The format offers a 6-course vegetable inspired prix fixe menu- $67- which changes every week, where Menes will follow the rhythm of the season that dictates what will be on the menu.
Most courses come with supplements, such as home-produced tagliolini with black truffles, scallops, or 45-day dry aged rib eye. Menes pairs his courses with wines- an additional $40-mostly from France and Central California, and finishes the meal with pour-over coffee which is ordered when you first sit down. Produce from Menes’ organic farm in Long Beach- he lives there with his family- will land on your plate, actually the series of plates that make up the multi-course tasting menu presented over the course of the evening, and there are just two seatings, 6:00 and 8:30 pm. It’s a sort of performance art in front of you, cooking not on a stove- there is no stove in sight- but on the four hot plates behind the bar. But what is delivered from their plate to your plate is simply… divine. www.lecomptoirla.com
